Computer system for relieving fatigue

• US 20020015527A1
• Filed: 02/22/2001
• Published: 02/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Nambu, Masaya
• Granted Patent: US 7,224,834 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30201 Face
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/001 using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/16 Human faces, e.g. facial parts, sketches or expressions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

A computer system for relieving an operator'"'"'s fatigue includes an input device, an image processing circuit, a fatigue determination circuit, and an information generator circuit. The computer system also includes an output device, a response information storage device, and a fatigue degree criteria storage device. The operator'"'"'s face is captured to create a model image of the face, which is analyzed to determine the fatigue degree of the operator. The response information corresponding to the fatigue degree is output to notify the operator.

Claims

1. A computer system for relieving an operator'"'"'s fatigue, comprising:

an input device for capturing the operator'"'"'s face to generate image data representing the face;

an image processing circuit connected to the input device for creating a model image of the operator'"'"'s face from the image data;

a fatigue determination circuit connected to the image processing circuit for analyzing the model image to determine a fatigue degree of the operator; and

an information generator circuit connected to the fatigue determination circuit for generating response information in accordance with a result of the determination.

2. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the image processing circuit creates the model image every predetermined time, and the fatigue determination circuit compares a currently created model image with a previously created model image to determine the degree of fatigue based on a difference between the two model images.

3. The computer system according to claim 1, further comprising an output device connected to the information generator circuit for outputting the response information such that the response information can be notified to the operator.

4. The computer system according to claim 3, further comprising a response information storage device, connected to the information generator circuit, for storing a response information table representing a correspondence among the degree of fatigue, the response information, and the output device to which the response information is output, wherein the information generator circuit supplies the response information to the output device with reference to the response information table.

5. The computer system according to claim 4, wherein the response information storage device further stores a plurality of response information tables corresponding with a plurality of operators.

6. The computer system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a fatigue degree criteria storage device connected to the fatigue determination circuit for storing a fatigue determination criterion set in accordance with the fatigue degree of the operator, wherein the fatigue determination circuit determines the degree of fatigue with reference to the result of an analysis on the model image and the fatigue determination criterion.

7. The computer system according to claim 5, wherein the fatigue determination criterion includes information on a fatigue appearance region in the operator'"'"'s face with respect to the fatigue degree of the operator, wherein the fatigue determination circuit compares a state of the fatigue appearance region within the model image with the fatigue determination criterion.

8. The computer system according to claim 5, wherein the fatigue determination criterion is one of a plurality of fatigue determination criteria previously set corresponding to the operator, wherein the fatigue determination circuit compares the result of the analysis with a corresponding one of the fatigue determination criteria to notify a corresponding result of determination to the response information output device when the results of the analysis exceeds the determination criterion.

9. The computer system according to claim 5, wherein the fatigue determination criterion includes information on a size of the fatigue appearance region, and information on a state in the fatigue appearance region.

10. A computer system for relieving an operator'"'"'s fatigue, comprising:

an image capture device for capturing the operator'"'"'s face;

an image processing circuit connected to the image capture device for creating a model image of the operator'"'"'s face;

a fatigue degree criteria storage device for storing fatigue determination criteria set in accordance with a fatigue degree of the operator;

a fatigue determination circuit connected to the fatigue degree criteria storage device and the image processing circuit, respectively, for analyzing the model image to determine the fatigue degree of the operator with reference to the results of the analysis and the fatigue determination criteria;

an information generator circuit connected to the fatigue determination circuit for generating response information corresponding to a result of determination; and

an output device connected to the information generator circuit for outputting the response information such that the response information can be supplied to the operator.

11. The computer system according to claim 10, wherein the response information includes music liked by the operator, and the output device comprises a speaker.

12. The computer system according to claim 10, wherein the response information includes a state image for notifying the operator of the degree of fatigue, and the output device includes an image display device.

13. A method of relieving an operator'"'"'s fatigue, comprising the steps of:

capturing the operator'"'"'s face to create a model image of the face;

analyzing the model image to determine a fatigue degree of the operator; and

outputting response information corresponding to the degree of fatigue such that the response information can be supplied to the operator.

14. A computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for relieving an operator'"'"'s fatigue, the program comprising the steps of:

capturing the operator'"'"'s face to create a model image of the operator'"'"'s face;

analyzing the model image to determine a fatigue degree of the operator; and

outputting response information corresponding to the degree of fatigue such that the response information can be supplied to the operator.